diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgetmanager.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgetmanager.js
index 524f7b037..f2386207f 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgetmanager.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgetmanager.js
@@ -78,12 +78,11 @@
                 console.log("Could not determine where the display" + 
                     " message was from.  Widget will not be displayed");
             } else {
-                var view = this.create_view(model);
+                var view = this.create_view(model, {cell: cell});
                 if (view !== undefined 
                     && cell.widget_subarea !== undefined 
                     && cell.widget_subarea !== null) {
                     
-                    view.cell = cell;
                     cell.widget_area.show();
                     cell.widget_subarea.append(view.$el);
                 }
@@ -141,7 +140,7 @@
         WidgetManager.prototype.callbacks = function (view) {
             // callback handlers specific a view
             var callbacks = {};
-            var cell = view.cell;
+            var cell = view.options.cell;
             if (cell !== null) {
                 // Try to get output handlers
                 var handle_output = null;
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget.js
index e5d68c70a..2b13062c5 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/widget.js
@@ -226,8 +226,14 @@ function(widget_manager, underscore, backbone){
         create_child_view: function(child_model, options) {
             // Create and return a child view.
             //
-            // - given a model and (optionally) a view name if the view name is 
+            // -given a model and (optionally) a view name if the view name is 
             // not given, it defaults to the model's default view attribute.
+	    
+            // TODO: this is hacky, and makes the view depend on this cell attribute and widget manager behavior
+	        // it would be great to have the widget manager add the cell metadata
+	        // to the subview without having to add it here.
+	        options = options || {};
+            options.cell = this.options.cell;
             var child_view = this.model.widget_manager.create_view(child_model, options);
             this.child_views[child_model.id] = child_view;
             return child_view;